pandemic, global
See global pandemic.
pan-European
Hyphenated, and with capital E.
partway
One word.
peddle, pedal
Sometimes confused. You can pedal a bicycle. Peddle means to try to sell [something, especially small goods] by going from place to place. Or, figuratively, to promote [an idea or view] persistently or widely. You can’t pedal an idea; you can only peddle it.
peek, peak
Sometimes confused. When you [take a] peek at something, that means you look at it, perhaps furtively. A peak is the top of a mountain, or the high point of something, or the part of a cap that keeps the sun out of your eyes.
pensioner
A pensioner is a person who receives a pension, especially a retirement pension. Usually it’s older people; but some young people draw pensions and some old people don’t. Avoid using pensioner / pensioners to mean old person / people. Instead, say “older people” or “elderly people” or “over-70s” or whatever you actually mean.
per cent
Two words. In running text write the words per cent in preference to the percentage sign %.
phase, faze
See faze, phase.
plugin
In the sense of a software add-on, plugin is one word with no hyphen.
pole position
Not “poll position”.
policymaker
One word.
portend, portent
- A portent (noun) is a sign, omen, or warning.
- Portend (verb) means to be a sign, omen, or warning.
There is no such thing as “a portend”.
postcode
One word.
postgraduate
One word.
Post-it
Cap P, lower case I.
PowerPoint
The Microsoft Office application has a capital P partway through. There is no plural form: you can’t say PowerPoints; instead, write PowerPoint slides or PowerPoint presentations or whatever.
practice, practise
Practice is the noun; practise is the verb.
- Effective local procurement practices can contribute to job creation.
- We practise what we preach.
precedent, precedence
- Precedent, as a noun, refers to a past event or action or judgement that is regarded as an example or guide to be considered in subsequent similar circumstances. As in, setting a precedent.
- Precedence refers to the condition of being considered more important than someone or something else, and therefore coming or being dealt with first. It can also mean the order in which things should be considered or done. Safety takes precedence, for example.
Sometimes people incorrectly write about “a precedence” when they mean precedent.
predetermine, predetermined
Not hyphenated.
premier, premiere
Sometimes confused.
- Premier is an adjective meaning first in status or top quality or a noun meaning prime minister.
- Preimere refers to the first public showing or a play or movie.
Both words come from the French premier/première.
preselect, preselected
Not hyphenated.
pride
You can take pride in something or you can pride yourself on it. You don’t pride yourself in a thing.
principal, principle
Commonly confused. Principal (adjective or noun) means main or first in importance; principle (noun) means the foundation of a belief or behaviour, or a standard of conduct.
- Honest reporting is a matter of principle.
- Integrity is our principal concern.
proactive
No hyphen.
profit and loss
Not profit & loss.
program, programme
Program refers only to a computer program in UK English. For a scheme or schedule it’s programme – unless the word Program forms part of a US-English proper noun, in which case we follow the US spelling.
pro rata
Not hyphenated, even when used adjectivally.
protester, protestor
Use the –er spelling rather than the –or spelling.
proved, proven
Proved is the past tense and past participle; proven is usually used only as an adjective.
- It’s a proven fact.
- She has proved her critics wrong.
purposely, purposefully
These two words have overlapping meanings but they’re not fully interchangeable. You can do something purposely without necessarily doing it purposefully.
- Purposely means intentionally, or on purpose.
- Purposefully means in a way that shows determination or resolve, or with a useful purpose.